Idling gets you 0 miles per gallon. The best way to warm up a vehicle is to drive it. No more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days is needed. Anything more simply wastes fuel and increases emission.

Do not top off the tank when refueling. Make sure the gas cap fits properly to avoid spills. Refuel before 7am or after the sun goes down.

Don’t tamper with the pollution controls and have the vehicle inspected regularly.

Keep track of your fuel economy. A loss of economy usually means an increase in emissions. Poorly inflated tires can also cause a loss in fuel economy.

Watch the exhaust. If it is black, there is too much gas in the mixture and the fuel injection system needs to be checked. If the exhaust is blue, the car is burning oil and releasing excess hydrocarbons.

Fix air conditioning leaks immediately.

Pay attention to dashboard warning lights. Have the car checked out as soon as possible.

Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.

Clear out your car; extra weight decreases gas mileage.

Reduce drag by placing items inside the car or trunk rather than on roof racks. A roof rack or carrier provides additional cargo space and may allow you to buy a smaller car. However, a loaded roof rack can decrease your fuel economy by 5%.

Leave early to avoid morning rush-hour traffic.

Take your lunch to work or school.

Combine errands into one trip. Cold start emissions from vehicles are responsible for 80-90 percent of the total emissions emitted from vehicles.

Avoid drive-through lanes to prevent long-term idling.

Minimize the use of gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment until after 6 p.m.

Schedule painting projects during cooler months, and when painting, use water-based paints.

Tips for the Commercial Industry

For employees who carpool/vanpool, provide a "Guaranteed Ride Home" should an emergency arise.

Schedule meetings that don't require driving (meet on site or make conference calls).

Fuel fleet vehicles before 7 a.m. or after dark.

Put off all nonessential trips and activities that require engines on High Pollution Advisory Days.

Alter production schedules to avoid heavy production on High Pollution Advisory Days.

Arrange lunch schedules so employees can carpool.

Limit strenuous outdoor activity by employees on High Pollution Advisory Days. During strenuous work we breathe more often and draw more deeply which increases our intake of air by as much as 10 times our level at rest.

Consider purchasing reduced-emission fleet vehicles.

Pinal County is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/H/V
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